Jobs and Economic Growth

From day one in Congress, David’s energy and focus have centered on ensuring more Rhode Islanders have access to good-paying jobs, and he’s working hard every day to create, expand, and sustain opportunities for all Rhode Islanders to reach the middle class and beyond.

While we have seen economic conditions improve, David knows there is so much more Congress can do to grow and support job creation here at home, and particularly to raise family income David continues to be a tireless champion of American manufacturing, fighting to ensure the local companies, men, and women in this vital industry have the tools they need to succeed, and are on an even playing field with foreign competitors.

David authored legislation, signed into law in 2018, to provide Rhode Island manufacturers with the ability to compete for new federal funding to grow jobs and strengthen our economy.

David wrote legislation, signed into law, that provides greater transparency to government defense procurement; making it easier for American manufacturers to compete for overseas contracts.

As an active member of the House Manufacturing Caucus, David is reaching across the aisle, championing bipartisan efforts to boost American manufacturing. He’s drafted legislation, signed into law in 2018, that permanently authorizes the Defense Manufacturing Communities Program – a proposal that would help states like Rhode Island be better positioned to leverage federal funding to support the advanced manufacturing sector, helping create good-paying jobs right here at home.

David’s 21st Century Buy American Act would close loopholes that allow federal agencies to sidestep their obligation to prioritize American companies when purchasing goods or services and enhances resources for American companies to manufacture products that are in short supply domestically.

David also introduced a bill to end taxpayer subsidies that incentivize companies to send jobs overseas and would put policies in place to encourage firms to bring jobs back home to America.

In Rhode Island, small businesses employ more than half the state’s private workforce. David introduced bipartisan legislation, which was approved by the House of Representatives, that would expand access to capital for small business owners, helping to create and sustain good-paying jobs. David also knows that Rhode Island businesses, large and small, need reliable infrastructure – roads, bridges, ports, and systems that allow goods, services, and ideas to move through our economy. Critically important investments in our infrastructure not only help strengthen the broader economy; they also create and support good-paying jobs for Rhode Island workers. That’s why David has championed the House Democrats’ initiative to invest $1 trillion to improve our nation’s infrastructure, creating 16 million good-paying jobs and improving our quality of life.

Underlying all these efforts to create and sustain good-paying jobs is David’s work to grow the middle class and expand economic opportunity for all Rhode Island families. He is a strong supporter of legislation to increase the federal minimum and has fought to make certain our tax policies do not disadvantage middle class workers and their families.